In Bhagavad Gita 11.46, Arjuna says he wishes to see Krishna as before, with crown, mace and discus in hand, and asks the thousand-armed, universal form to assume that four-armed form.
Sanskrit Verse
अर्जुन उवाच · Arjuna said
किरीटिनं गदिनं चक्रहस्तं
इच्छामि त्वां द्रष्टुमहं तथैव
तेनैव रूपेण चतुर्भुजेन
सहस्रबाहो भव विश्वमूर्ते ॥ ११-४६ ॥
kirīṭinaṃ gadinaṃ cakrahastaṃ
icchāmi tvāṃ draṣṭumahaṃ tathaiva
tenaiva rūpeṇa caturbhujena
sahasrabāho bhava viśvamūrte
English transliteration kireetinam gadinam chakrahastam
ichchhaami tvaam drashtumaham tathaiva
tenaiva roopena chaturbhujena
sahasrabaaho bhava vishvamoorte ॥ 11.46 ॥
Translation / Meaning
I wish to see You as before, wearing a crown, holding a mace and a discus in hand. Assume that four-armed form, O thousand-armed One, O universal form.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| किरीटिनम् kirīṭinam | wearing a crown |
| गदिनम् gadinam | holding a mace |
| चक्रहस्तम् cakrahastam | with discus in hand cakra (discus) + hastam (hand) |
| इच्छामि icchāmi | I wish |
| त्वाम् tvām | You |
| द्रष्टुम् draṣṭum | to see |
| अहम् aham | I |
| तथा tathā | as |
| एव eva | before |
| तेन tena | that |
| एव eva | very |
| रूपेण rūpeṇa | form |
| चतुर्भुजेन caturbhujena | four-armed catur (four) + bhujena (armed) |
| सहस्रबाहो sahasrabāho | O thousand-armed One sahasra (thousand) + bāho (armed) |
| भव bhava | become |
| विश्वमूर्ते viśvamūrte | O universal form viśva (universal) + mūrte (form) |
Word-wise Chanting
- ki–rī–ṭi–naṃ ga–di–naṃ cak–ra–has–taṃ 11 syllables ki-ree-ti-nam ga-di-nam chak-ra-has-tam
- ic–chā–mi tvāṃ draṣ–ṭu–ma–haṃ ta–thai–va | 11 syllables ich-chhaa-mi tvaam drash-tu-ma-ham ta-thai-va
- te–nai–va rū–pe–ṇa ca–tur–bhu–je–na 11 syllables te-nai-va roo-pe-na cha-tur-bhu-je-na
- sa–has–ra–bā–ho bha–va viś–va–mūr–te || 11-46 11 syllables sa-has-ra-baa-ho bha-va vish-va-moor-te
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 11 Verse 46
Context
Arjuna completes his request (11.45–11.46).
Meaning
Arjuna asks to see the four-armed form of Viṣṇu with crown, mace and discus, the gracious divine form, rather than the overwhelming thousand-armed cosmic form. He wants a form he can bear to look upon.
Commentators differ on whether Arjuna asks for the four-armed Viṣṇu form or for Krishna’s human form; in 11.50–11.51 Krishna shows both his own form and his gentle human appearance.
In Practice
Spend a few minutes contemplating a form of the Divine that brings you peace.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 11: Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga (The Vision of the Universal Form). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.